degree in animation and vfx la salle campus barcelona

Bachelor in Animation and VFX

Become a professional in 3D computer generated imagery, including special effects and 3D artwork. The Degree in Animation at La Salle Campus Barcelona is the first official undergraduate degree program in Catalonia.

Description: 

An introductory course in digital character rigging. Students will learn to build a fully functional rig, progressing from a cube rig to a complete bipedal character, applying the fundamental principles of rigging within a professional production context.

Type Subject
Tercer - Obligatoria
Semester
Second
Course
2
Credits
4.00

Titular Professors

Enrique Velasco Mairal
Professor

Professors

María Güemes Ruiz
Previous Knowledge: 

It is recommended to have previously completed introductory 3D and animation courses.

Objectives: 

To enable students to design, build, and optimize functional 3D character rigs and integrate them correctly within a professional production pipeline.

Contents: 

  • Rigging fundamentals and control hierarchies (Cube Rig)
  • Skeleton construction and kinematics systems (Biped Part I)
  • Skinning and deformation systems
  • Advanced systems and automation
  • Rig integration in production environments
  • Analysis, optimization, and troubleshooting

Methodology: 

Progressive theoretical-practical methodology. Each 4-hour weekly session is split 50% between conceptual development and live demonstration, and 50% guided practical exercises. The instructor and teaching assistant provide individualized support throughout the practical sessions.

Evaluation: 


  • Assessable exercises: 70% (minimum grade to average: 3.5/10)
  • Continuous assessment: 30%

Evaluation Criteria: 

All exercises must be submitted. The minimum grade to average is 3.5/10; below that, retake is required. Serious technical errors (non-scalable rig, incorrect file naming) cap the grade at 2.2. Each assessable exercise has 4 submission opportunities: ordinary (graded over 10) and three extraordinary rounds (over 8, 6, and 5). Autorigs are strictly prohibited. Use of AI tools must be explicitly declared in the submission. Plagiarism results in automatic fail and potential disciplinary proceedings.

Basic Bibliography: 


  • Character Animation. (2024). Autodesk.com. https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2025/ENU/
    • ">https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2025/ENU/">https://help.autodesk.c...
  • O'Neill, R. (2015). Digital character development: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). Apple Academic Press.
  • O'Hailey, T. (2013). Rig it Right! Maya Animation Rigging Concepts. Focal Press.
  • Ritchie, K., Callery, J., & Biri, K. (2006). The Art of Rigging. CG Toolkit.
  • Lara, C. (2020). Practical Maya Rigging: From Beginner to Production-Ready Character Setups. Routledge.

Additional Material: 


  • Lara, C. (2020). Practical Maya Rigging: From Beginner to Production-Ready Character Setups. Routledge.